Maha Kumbh 2025: Rejuvenation of ancient temples; Why is Prayagraj called the king of pilgrimages? You will learn about this by visiting them.

Preparations for the Maha Kumbh are in full swing in the holy city of Prayagraj. Not only in the fair area, you will see the atmosphere of Maha Kumbh at every corner of the town. Every department is busy preparing to welcome the devotees. The ancient temples and ashrams located in Prayagraj are also being decorated afresh. Somewhere corridors have been constructed, somewhere temples that have become dilapidated with time have been renovated. Seeing the kind of preparations being made, it can be said that the devotees coming to the Maha Kumbh will not be able to stop themselves from taking a dip of faith and being mesmerized by seeing the beautiful tourist places here.

Regional Tourism Secretary Aparajita Singh says that given the Maha Kumbh, the Tourism Department is working to improve the basic facilities in all the major temples of Prayagraj. Under this, the Tourism Department is getting the work of toilets, benches, passenger sheds, and flooring work of the temple premises along with other decorations done in the temple premises.

Regional Tourism Secretary Aparajita Singh says that given the Maha Kumbh, the Tourism Department is working to improve the basic facilities in all the major temples of Prayagraj. Under this, the Tourism Department is getting the work of toilets, benches, passenger sheds, and flooring work of the temple premises along with other decoration work done in the temple premises.

Where Lord Rama had heard the story of Satyanarayan

Bhardwaj Ashram is important among the temples which have been renovated. In this, the Tourism Department has constructed the Ashram Corridor. Many murals have been installed on both sides of the corridor. These murals are related to the stories of Maharishi Bhardwaj. They also depict the story of when Lord Rama, Sita, and Lakshman came to the Bhardwaj Ashram. It was from here that Bhardwaj Muni showed them the way to Chitrakoot. Along with this, after the victory of Lanka, Bhagwan came here and heard the story of Satyanarayan. Its picture is also shown in these murals. After the construction of the corridor, more number of devotees will be able to come here than before. It is said that Maharishi Bharadwaj had established this ashram. In ancient times, it was a famous educational center. During his exile, Shri Ram had come here with Sitaji and Lakshman and met Bharadwaj ji.

The tourism department has also done beautification and tourism development work in major temples like Nagvasuki Temple, Alop Shankari Temple, Mankameshwar, Dwadash Madhav, and Padila Mahadev. Yatri sheds and havan sheds have been built at various places in Nagvasuki Temple. Bhishma Pitamah Temple located in the Nagvasuki temple complex has also been beautified afresh.

Nagvasuki was made into a rope during Samudra Manthan

Nagvasuki is considered the king of snakes. Nagvasuki is the necklace of Lord Shiva. The story of Nagvasuki ji is also found in Skanda Purana, Padma Purana, Bhagwat Purana, and Mahabharata. It is said that when the Devas and Asuras got ready to churn the ocean on the orders of Lord Vishnu, Mount Mandara made the churning rod and Nagvasuki the rope. But Nagvasuki's body got bruised due to the rubbing of Mount Mandara. Then on the orders of Lord Vishnu, he rested in Prayag bathed in the Triveni Sangam, and got rid of his wounds. King Divodas of Varanasi performed penance and asked for the boon of going to Kashi, the city of Lord Shiva. Pleased with the penance of Divodas, when Nagvasuki started leaving Prayag, the Gods requested him to stay in Prayag itself. Then Nagvasuki said that if I stay in Prayagraj, then it will be mandatory for the devotees to see me after bathing in the Sangam and I should be worshipped in all three worlds on the fifth day of the month of Sawan. The Gods accepted his demands. Then Brahmaji's Manas Putra built a temple and Nagvasuki was installed on the Sangam coast in the north-west of Prayagraj. Prayag is called Tirtharaj because it is said that the first yajna on earth was performed by Lord Brahma himself at the holy confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. This first yajna was formed by combining the Pra of Pratham and Yag i.e. Yajna. When Brahma was performing the yajna, Lord Vishnu himself was protecting it in the form of 12 Madhavas. These 12 Madhava forms of Vishnu are called Dwadasha Madhavas. These temples which had become extinct with time have also been renovated. Devotees coming to Maha Kumbh will be able to see them. There is a mythological belief that seeing the sanctity of this place, Lord Brahma has also called it 'Tirtha Raj' or 'King of all pilgrimages'. This place has been referred to as Prayag in the scriptures - Vedas and great epics - Ramayana and Mahabharata. According to 'Padma Purana' - "Just as the Sun is in the middle of the Moon and the Moon is in the middle of the stars, similarly 'Prayag is the best among all the pilgrimages.'" It is mentioned in Brahmapuran that "Bathing on the banks of Ganga and Yamuna in Prayag in the month of Magh gives the fruits of crores of Ashwamedha Yagyas."

Another story is popular about Tirtharaj. According to this, Lord Brahma had weighed the virtues of all the pilgrimages on the instructions of Lord Shesh. Then all these pilgrimages, seven seas, and seven continents were placed on one side of the scale. Tirtharaj Prayag was on the other side. The side of Tirtharaj Prayag did not leave the earth, while the side of the other pilgrimages started touching the poles.

Social media is being used to promote temples.

Red sandstone stones have been used in most of the temples renovated by the tourism department. Regarding the use of these stones, Aparajita Singh says that the purpose of this is that whatever work has been done should remain the same not only during Kumbh but for the coming few years. Efforts are also being made to ensure that tourists reach these temples located in different areas of the city. Social media has also been used for this. Different departments are giving information about the tourist places of Prayagraj from their social media pages. Along with this, the help of local social media influencers is also being taken in this.

During the fair, 10 information centers will be set up at different places in the fair area. At these information centers, booklets giving information about all the centers of attraction in Prayagraj will also be distributed. With the help of this, devotees coming to Maha Kumbh will be able to take a dip in the Sangam as well as visit the sightseeing places and places of spiritual importance in Prayagraj.